The slipping support for Obama is most evident in a pair of recent surveys of Democratic strongholds. Just 39 percent of registered New York voters surveyed in a Marist College poll said Obama is doing an "excellent" or "good" job, down six points from June and the lowest level in the state since the beginning of his presidency.

Earlier this month, only 45 percent of California voters said they approved of how Obama was handling his job — a 5 percent decrease from June.

National polls also suggest a growing discontent.

A YouGov survey released last week showed the president’s approval rating at 40 percent, and that among Democrats, Obama had slipped eight points since June. . . .

Have Democrats gone to the "war on women" well a few too many times?: push may not be working in Colorado

After a series of polls this past month have shown the race statistically tied or even with Gardner up, some Democrats are urging Udall to find a new refrain against his opponent, lest Republicans claim the seat in November.

“Gardner gave him a lot to work with on that subject, but a lot people think he may have overdone it,” said one well-connected Democratic operative in the state.

Starting essentially from Gardner’s entry into the race, Udall’s main line of attack on the GOP congressman has been his support for a federal “personhood” measure, which would effectively ban abortion and restrict many forms of birth control. “Gardner gave him a lot to work with on that subject, but a lot people think he may have overdone it,” said one well-connected Democratic operative in the state.

Gardner, however, has said he regretted his past support for the statewide initiative and has also helped mitigate hits against him by coming out for over-the-counter birth control — the first in a string of GOP Senate candidates to do so. . . .

Those affected took advance payments of the premium tax credit for health insurance. Some married couples could owe $600 or $1,500 or $2,500 or even more. It might feel like a raw deal for some who are already suffocating under the escalating costs of health insurance.

"Health insurance is confusing enough, and now they're adding the complexities of the Tax Code," said Lorena Bencsik, a member of the Michigan Association of CPAs and owner of Prime Numbers in Ferndale.

When you file that 2014 tax return next year, the Internal Revenue Service will compare your actual income for the year with the amount you estimated when applying for exchange-based health insurance under the health insurance law. . . .

Gun in the workplace saves woman's life, after attacker beheaded a woman, he was shot while he was stabbing another woman

In this case, the shooter was a reserve deputy, but it is still a case where they were very happy that there was a gun in the workplace. From KFOR.com about the attack in Moore, Oklahoma:

Officials with the Moore Police Department say the FBI is now involved in the investigation related to a brutal attack of workers at a food distribution plant.
Sgt. Jeremy Lewis says the alleged suspect, 30-year-old Alton Nolen had just been fired when he drove to the front of the business, hit a vehicle and walked inside.
He walked into the front office area where he met 54-year-old Colleen Hufford and began attacking her with a knife.
Sgt. Lewis confirms the type of knife used in the attack is the same kind used at the plant.
Lewis confirms that Hufford was stabbed several times and that Nolen “severed her head.”
At that point, Lewis claims Nolen met 43-year-old Traci Johnson and began attacking her with the same knife.
Officials say at that point, Mark Vaughan, an Oklahoma County reserve deputy and a former CEO of the business, shot him as he was actively stabbing Johnson.
“He’s, obviously, a hero in this situation,” Sgt. Lewis said, referring to Vaughan. “It could have gotten a lot worse.” . . .

Young girl shoots man who was stabbing her mother, probably saved her life

About 4 a.m. Tuesday, Oklahoma City police were called to a home at 3308 SE 89 and found Brandy Moreno, who said she was stabbed by her ex-boyfriend, Leo Henry.

Police said Henry broke into the house and began to attack Moreno until her daughter, Jayda Milsap, 11, shot Henry twice with a handgun. Henry tried to flee from the home after being shot and was found down the street, police said. . . .

Moreno’s neighbor, Carolyn Marsee, said she heard the shots fired by the girl early Wednesday.

John Feinblatt, Everytown’s president, told USA Today, “We want gun safety to be an issue that people vote on.”

John R. Lott, Jr. says he’s fine with that statement. He just wants people to know the truth about what really reduces violence before they vote. He says, “I can’t find a single study from Bloomberg’s groups that aren’t loaded with errors. They have an anti-gun agenda and will lie to achieve it.”

Before getting to the inside story behind the politics, the piles of money being used to shape public opinion and to how the truth is stubbornly winning the debate despite—or because of—Bloomberg’s spin, I’d like to tell you how I first met John R. Lott, Jr. He is an important voice in this debate and this anecdote shows what kind of researcher he is. . . .

Even liberal media outlets are calling Gabby Giffords' gun control attack ads completely over the top

The former Democratic congresswoman, whose recovery from a gunshot wound to the head captivated the country, has unleashed some of the nastiest ads of the campaign season, going after GOP candidates in Arizona and New Hampshire with attacks even some left-leaning commentators say go too far. And Republicans on the receiving end are largely helpless to hit back, knowing a fight with the much-admired survivor is not one they’re likely to win.

Some of the toughest spots from Giffords’ newly formed pro-gun-control super PAC, Americans for Responsible Solutions, hammer Republican Martha McSally, a retired Air Force pilot who is running for the Arizona seat Giffords once held. One features a wrenching testimonial from a woman named Vicki who weeps and stumbles over her words as she recounts how her 19-year-old daughter was hunted down and murdered by an enraged ex-boyfriend. . . .

As Politico notes, even the liberal Arizona Republic’s had strong words condemning the ads in Arizona.

the Arizona Republic’s editorial page, which is typically liberal leaning, called the “Vicki” ad “base and vile.” The commercial, the newspaper said, put the murder “at McSally’s feet, as if she were responsible. A murder indictment implied. But, of course, McSally had nothing to do with” the death. . . .

Why is it that liberals just don't disagree, but want to silence their adversaries?: The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee going after Rush Limbaugh

Median family income has fallen during the Obama "Recovery" by about as much as it did during recession, for poorer families the "Recovery" has been worse

Family income for the poorest families has fallen continually during the Obama "recovery." Indeed, the drop in family income for those in the 10th and 20th percentiles is larger during the recovery than during the recession. The drop in family income for the 40th percentile and the median is about as large for the recovery as it was during the recession. Only the wealthiest families those in the top 10 percent have seen their incomes go up, but even then their incomes are lower than before the recession started. The Current Population Survey data is available here.